scrapbooks
by Dellessanna
Summary: Hermione puts McGonagall's photo collection into some semblance of order, and as a result some surprising events occur.


Hermione tied her hair back as she sorted through the photos; it kept flopping back into her face every time she leaned down to look in the trunk. Who would have thought that McGonagall would have collected so many photos?  But she had.  There were, in fact two trunks full of them.  Hermione was glad for the distraction.  She wished she could have gone home this summer, but it was just not feasible, as her parents had been carted off to America, and out of danger from Voldemort.  Hermione heaved a sigh; at least she got to stay here at Hogwarts where she could still have access to the library.  The thought of another summer stuck at the Burrow, or worse yet, Grimmauld Place rather made her stomach turn.  She carefully laid aside a few photos she wanted to keep, McGonagall's treat to her, before she started organizing the rest into albums.  She surveyed the stacks of blank albums ready for photos with trepidation. It was going to be a long night.

"How is the project coming along?"  McGonagall came into the room and broke her out of her revelry.

"As well, as may be expected."  Hermione smiled.  "I have everything sorted out and ready to put inside their albums."  Hermione smiled shyly.

"And did you find any you wanted?"  

Hermione smiled shyly.  "Yes, a few."  She held up a few pictures of a young Remus and Sirius, a picture of a smiling, much younger Dumbledore with his arms around a laughing (and carefree looking) McGonagall, a picture of Severus Snape as a teenager, a picture of James Potter and Lily Evans making faces at each other, among others.  

McGonagall smiled indulgently at her prized pupil.

~*~

Later that night, Hermione took out the photos she had kept and spread them across her bed.  She watched the interaction within the photos and smiled sadly at the people who were lost.  She picked up the photo of Severus Snape and ran her thumb across the edge of the picture. It was her favorite out of the bunch that Professor McGonagall let her keep. She watched as a young Severus Snape peeked out shyly from behind a tousled mop of black hair. He wasn't handsome, even then. Even so…  
She smiled sadly, and wondered what could have happened to the poor kid in the photo. She gingerly placed the photo back on her bureau, and decided to get a frame for it on her next trip to Hogsmead.

The little framed photo remained on her dresser throughout the year.  It bothered Ron the most who said it was a "creepy thing" for her to keep, but Hermione shrugged it off.  It reminded her.  
  
On the days that Snape was particularly horrible in Potions Hermione shuffled through the photographs at the end of the day. Most of them were of the Marauders, and Snape was always hovering in the background. In the oldest pictures he looked longingly at the friends. He looked hopeful. He looked lost. In the later ones he just looked disdainful, angry or cold, but every once in a while she catches a glance of the shy boy he once was, and it made everything better. It made it hurt less when he criticized her. His sarcasm bit less, because she knew.  Even he was human.

And when she left Hogwarts at the end of the year the photo followed right along to be sat upon her new nightstand.  In her new room at The University of Salem.  Massachusetts.  She started writing to Severus at this time; although he rarely wrote back.  The fact that he did write back at all astounded her.   

And then it traveled back across the pond with her when she came back… 

   
Years later, Hermione turned an uncommon shade of red when Severus questioningly picked up the small framed picture that has been on her nightstand for years. In truth she had forgotten about it. He arched an eyebrow, and she just shrugged.   
"I thought this was lost years ago." He nearly smiled.  
And she nearly smiled back, than cleared her throat. "It was a gift from McGonagall."  
"She always had a sick sense of humor." He smirked.  
She snatched the photo from his fingers, and looked at him with a pained expression on her face.  
He just didn't get it---yet.

~*~

Even more years later…

Magdalene flipped through the scrapbook. Her mother was a rabid scrapbooker. There were more scrapbooks in the family library, but this was Magda's favorite. The picture's were in careful chronological order, and thoughtfully labeled.   
  
There were pictures from her mother's youth:   
Smiling through her curly hair while she shined her prefect badge.  
With Uncle Harry, and Uncle Ron at King's Cross. Labeled: "The Terrible Trio".

Grinning wickedly with Ginny Weasley on the campus library at Salem.

Her mother pulling her reluctant father into the picture frame---she loved this one as sometimes her father lost and he would stand stiffly not smiling.  It always made her giggle.

Mother and Grandmother and Grandfather Granger at Mother's graduation from University.  
  
Magda smiled as the little people smiled and waved at her.  
Her favorite picture was on the first page. In the picture her father smiled shyly.  
She was just glad she didn't get his nose.


End file.
